Most international placements are undertaken during a Sandwich year between year 4 and year 5 of the course and last 12 months.

Students may also choose to do their end of course project abroad for 6 months.

Why decide to interrupt your studies for a year in order to undertake a mission in industry?

Experience other things: discover a country and a culture and improve language skills. By working in an overseas company you have to adapt, go out to meet other people in order to understand. For a year you are a foreigner. It is an opportunity to mature, become open to other ways of thinking, is character building and is an opportunity to move educational plans forward.

Acquire solid professional experience. The missions are validated by the school’s head of education. We ensure that the content of the placement will be relevant to the student’s course, and his or her specialization desires.

Students are frequently included in research and development teams where, after a period of training and adaptation, they can become involved in the work. They are paid. Although the pay is low, a European grant is given. Throughout the placement, they are supervised and remain in contact with the school.

How do students go about finding a placement that matches their wishes?

There are several steps:

At the beginning of the year, individual interviews are organised to advise and guide students, agree on a type of placement that matches their strengths, tastes and career plans.

Every student is personally supported in preparing the application.

The student chooses to apply (up to 2 or 3) to partner companies.

The number of spontaneous applications with non partner companies is unlimited.

Overseas mission for apprentices in the work linked “Computer science and Communication Network” course

The overseas mission:

During their studies student engineers have to undertake a mission in an international company for a minimum of 2 months.

They will have to complete a study (technical, organisational or economic), the subject for which is proposed by the international host company, in conjunction with the home company, and is validated by CPE Lyon

Objectives:

For apprentices:

Integrating international aspects into their view of the context and the economic challenges presented not only today but also tomorrow.

Expanding their areas of competencies in fields as varied as technology, personal organisation, management and speaking another language.

Integrating into a different professional and cultural environment

For the French company:

Expanding the project to other conditions.

Technological exchanges, transfer of competencies.

Market research, validation of suppliers.

Exporting the reputation of the enterprise.

For the international company:

Technological exchanges, transfer of competencies of an apprentice who is “almost” an engineer.

Market research, validation of customers or suppliers

Looking for the company:

Looking for an international host company is undertaken by the pupil engineer and the apprenticeship contract company.

Assistance is provided by the CPE Lyon International Relations department.

Assessment: a report and an oral presentation are required on the international mission.